The Isles of Aledeon - Roleplay World

Character Races

The peoples of the islands, echo the races to be found throughout the known realms. Although none are indigenous to the islands, some races have none the less been isolated on the island group long enough to have developed their own unique traits, language, and societies. The earliest explorers and adventurers came from many points throughout the realms and for varying reasons. It was well known that the islands had an untapped wealth of metals and precious stones, and was a natural magnet for miners and craftsman. The islands lush stands of timber have also helped to draw loggers and settlers to the islands. Many old logging camps are scattered through the islands where early inhabitants either logged out the area, or were driven out by some of the local fauna.

There are few built up areas in the island group and no true cities unless you count the rumoured Drow city said to be located within the bowels of an extinct volcano. Along the coast is the port town of Red Barrel. It is the main port for the islands and is the gateway to the main island and beyond. All manner of cargo pass through it's gates destined for outlaying settlements and encampments. It was once said that if it "can't be found in Red Barrel it dosen't exist". This may be a bit of an exaggeration, but the fact is that if you can find it on the islands it most likely passed through Red Barrel. In the central portion of the main island is the mountain settlement known as "Ravenscrag". This ancient walled settlement has changed little in it's long and bitter history. The settlement is smaller than Red Barrel and seems to be more suited to solitary wizards and other adventurers rather than settlers or families. It's cool climate and steep slopes make access difficult for those not accustomed to travel through mountainous terrain.

Common Races

Throughout the realm you will find various races of inhabitants. Below is a general guide to some of the races you will encounter on the islands.

The material presented below is Open Game Content, and is licensed for public use under the terms of the Open Game License v1.0a.

Drow - Also known as dark elves, drow are a depraved and evil subterranean offshoot. White is the most common hair color among drow, but almost any pale shade is possible. Drow tend to be smaller and thinner than other sorts of elves, and their eyes are often a vivid red.

Dwarf - Dwarves average 4 feet tall and weigh as much as adult humans. The skin can be very dark, but it is always some shade of tan or brown. Hair color can be black, gray, or brown. Dwarves are known for their skill in warfare, their ability to withstand physical and magical punishment, their knowledge of the earth's secrets, their hard work, and their capacity for drinking ale. Their mysterious kingdoms, carved out from the insides of mountains, are renowned for the marvellous treasures that they produce as gifts or for trade.
- Hill Dwarf - see above.
- Deep Dwarf - These dwarves live far underground and tend to be more standoffish with non-dwarves. Deep dwarves are the same height as other dwarves, but leaner. Their skin sometimes has a reddish tinge, and their large eyes lack the brightness of those of their kindred, being a washed-out blue. Their hair color ranges from bright red to straw blond. They have little contact with surface dwellers, relying on hill dwarves or mountain dwarves to trade goods for them.
- Duergar - Sometimes called gray dwarves, these evil beings dwell in the underground. Most duergar are bald (even the females), and they dress in drab clothing that is designed to blend into stone. In their lairs they may wear jewelry, but it is always kept dull. They war with other dwarves, even allying with other underground creatures from time to time.
- Mountain Dwarf - Mountain dwarves live deeper under the mountains than hill dwarves but generally not as far underground as deep dwarves. They average about 4-1/2 feet tall and have lighter skin and hair than hill dwarves, but the same general appearance.

Elf - Elves average 5 feet tall and typically weigh just over 100 pounds. Elves prefer colorful clothes, usually with a green-and-gray cloak that blends well with the colors of the forest. Elves mingle freely in human lands, always welcome yet never at home there. They are well known for their poetry, dance, song, lore, and magical arts. Elves favour things of natural and simple beauty. When danger threatens their woodland homes, however, elves reveal a more martial side, demonstrating skill with sword, bow, and battle strategy.
- High Elf - see above.
- Aquatic Elf - Also called sea elves, these creatures are waterbreathing cousins to land-dwelling elves. Aquatic elves fight underwater with tridents, spears, and nets.
- Gray Elf - Taller and grander in physical appearance than others of their race, gray elves have a reputation for being aloof and arrogant (even by elven standards). They have either silver hair and amber eyes or pale golden hair and violet eyes. They prefer clothing of white, silver, yellow, or gold, with cloaks of deep blue or purple.
- Wild Elf - Wild elves are barbaric and tribal. Wild elves' hair color ranges from black to light brown, lightening to silvery white with age. They dress in simple clothing of animal skins and basic plant weaves.
- Wood Elf - Their hair color ranges from yellow to a coppery red, and they are more muscular than other elves. Their clothing is in dark shades of green and earth tones to better blend in with their natural surroundings

Gnome - Gnomes stand 3 to 3-1/2 feet tall and weigh 40 to 45 pounds. Their skin color ranges from dark tan to woody brown, their hair is fair, and their eyes can be any shade of blue. Gnomes adore animals, beautiful gems, and jokes of all kinds. Gnomes have a great sense of humour, and while they love puns, jokes, and games, they relish tricks-the more intricate the better. Fortunately, they apply the same dedication to more practical arts, such as engineering, as they do to their pranks.
- Rock Gnome - see above.
- Svirfneblin - Also called deep gnomes, svirfneblin are said to dwell in great cities deep underground. A svirfneblin has wiry, rock-colored skin usually medium brown to brownish gray. Only males are bald; females have stringy gray hair. The average svirfneblin lifespan is 250 years.
- Forest Gnome - They are the smallest of all the gnomes, averaging 2 to 2-1/2 feet in height, but look just like regular gnomes except with bark-colored or gray-green skin, and eyes that can be brown or green as well as blue. A very long-lived people, forest gnomes have an average life expectancy of 500 years.

Half-Elf - Half-elves are not truly an elf subrace, but they are often mistaken for elves. Half-elves usually inherit a good blend of their parents’ physical characteristics. Humans and elves sometimes wed, the elf attracted to the humans energy and the human to the elf's grace. These marriages end quickly as elves count years because a human's life is so brief, but they leave an enduring legacy - half elf children.
The life of a half elf can be hard. If raised by elves, the half elf grows with astounding speed, reaching maturity within 2 decades.

Special abilities:

Medium: As Medium creatures, half-elves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Favored Class: Any.

Half-Orc - They are as tall as humans and a little heavier, thanks to their muscle. They have greenish pigmentation, sloping foreheads, jutting jaws, prominent teeth, and coarse body hair. In the wild fronteirs, tribes of human and orc barbarians live in uneasy balance, fighting in times of war and trading in times of peace. The half-orcs who are born in the frontier may live with either human or orc parents, but they are netherless exposed to both cultures. Some, for whatever reason, leave their homeland and travel to civilized lands, bringing with them the tenacity, courage, and combat prowess that they developed in the wilds.

Special abilities:

+2 Strength, –2 Intelligence, –2 Charisma.
A half-orc’s starting Intelligence score is always at least 3. If this adjustment would lower the character’s score to 1 or 2, his score is nevertheless 3.
Medium: As Medium creatures, half-orcs have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Favored Class: Barbarian.

Halfling - Halflings stand about 3 feet tall and usually weigh between 30 and 35 pounds. They have brown or black eyes. Halflings are clever, capable opportunists. Halfling individuals and clans find room for themselves wherever they can. Often they are strangers and wanderers and others react to them with suspicion or curiosity. Depending on the clan, halflings might be reliable, hard-working (if clannish) citizens, or they might be thieves just waiting fot the opportunity to make a big score and dissapear in the dead of night. Regardless, halflings are cunning, resourceful survivors.
- Lightfoot Halfling - see above.
- Tallfellow - Tallfellows are somewhat rare among halfling folk. Tallfellows are 4 feet tall or more and weigh between 30 and 35 pounds. They generally speak Elven in addition to Common and Halfling.
- Deep Halfling - These halflings are shorter and stockier than the more common lightfeet. Deep halflings are about 2-1/2 tall and weigh between 30 and 35 pounds. Deep halflings speak Dwarven fluently.
Human - Humans typically stand from 5 feet to a little over 6 feet tall and weight from 125 to 250 pounds, with men noticeably taller and heavier than the women. Most humans are the descendants of pioneers, conquerors, traders, travellers, refugees, and other people on the move. As a result, human lands are a mix of people physically, culturally, religiously, and politically. Hardy or fine, light-skinned or dark, showy or austere, primitive or civilized, devout or impious, humans run the gamut.

Uncommon Races

Vampire - Forever anchored to their coffins and the unholy earth of their graves, these nocturnal predators scheme constantly to strengthen themselves and fill the world with their foul progeny. Vampires appear just as they did in life, although their features are often hardened and feral, with the predatory look of wolves. Like liches, they often embrace finery and decadence and may assume the guise of nobility. Despite their human appearance, vampires can be easily recognized, for they cast no shadows and throw no reflections in mirrors.

*Race information is taken from the D20 System Reference Document and is reproduced here under the Open Gaming License, Version 1.0a.
*portions of the source information may have been modified or excluded from this document to fit with our RPG.
*The Order of the Scarlet Robes, Ravenscrag Settlement, The Port of Red Barrel, The Isles of Aledeon, The Realms of the Crystal Portal, and all related logo's are © Shaftsbury 2001 - 2008 All Rights Reserved.